American Flag Brownies

I hate to admit it, but brownies are the one thing I make from a box. But not just any box. Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate brownie mix. I have never had a better boxed brownie, honestly. Rich, sinful, chocolatey goodness, I don’t care if it’s semi homemade. We will sometimes swirl a bit of melted peanut butter through the batter. Or sometimes sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. They are so divine.

Get this: I buy the 6 count box at Costco for less than ten dollars. Sometimes it’s on sale for 6.99! Seriously! No judgement here, folks. Good shortcuts like this one save sanity when you have four kids and are hosting a huge gathering.

Now, onto these patriotic brownies. A few years back, for a July 4th party I was hosting, one of my girlfriends brought over a plate of frosted brownies that were absolutely excellent. I know that there are some amazing frosted brownie recipes out there, a few of which I’ve tried, but I had always avoided regularly frosting my brownies because I felt it was too much with the triple chocolate. Her frosting, however, was delicious.

When I decided to host another July 4th party the following year, I remembered her recipe. Deciding to add the blueberries and strawberries was easy as I had been in the patriotic mindset for weeks, thinking of all the ways to incorporate our beloved flag for the party.

Here is one thing I absolutely love: My strawberry slicer. The blades are thicker than an egg slicer, which helps push through the tougher-than-egg-white strawberry. If you or your family eats a lot of strawberries like us, I highly recommend one. The slices are all nice and even, and it takes no time at all. I slice strawberries for several desserts, including strawberry shortcake, strawberry pretzel delight, and fruit salad.

So, here’s the recipe, using the box mix, homemade frosting, and fresh fruit. A great American dessert! Enjoy!